Asclepius

According to the most popular myth, Asclepius was the son of Apollo and Koronida, daughter of the King of Thesallia Fleyia. Koronida fell in love with Ishi and so Apollo ordered her

death from his sister Artemis. Apollo saved the infant Koronida was carrying, he took it to Pylio and entrusted its upbringing to either Centaur Hirona or the healer God Magniton Hirona. Here the child was taught medicine but when Zeus found out he had resurrected the dead and so went against the law of nature, he ordered his death by striking him with lightening. And so he died as a human before becoming a God and was connected to worshipping heroes. He had many children with his wife Ipioni, Podalerio, Mahaona and Telesforo who all became great doctors. He also had Igeia, Egli (the sparkling) Iaso and Akeso (who cured) and Panacea (who cured everything). Asclepius was considered the protector of medicine and health. Worship of him started in Trikki (Trikala) and spread in the 5th and 4th century BC all over GreKos - Asclepiusece. However in Kos in the 3rd and 2nd century BC he was considered one of the most worshiped public personas of the time. His clinics, the Asclepians, were usually established in open areas with woods and fresh water, which greatly helped in curing patients. The most famous clinic was situated in Epidaurus while the first to be opened was in his birthplace Trikki. The Asclepio in Kos seems to have been opened in the 4th century BC. At these places of worship, patients were medically examined in detail by the priests and then were given cleansing and sacrifices were made. According to the traditional religious therapy, a God appears in the patients dream and during his sleep the God would cure him of his worries and illnesses. In return the patient had to sacrifice a rooster. Symbols of the God were the snake which represented periodical renewal, which heals by touch, the walking cane and a cup full of medicine, the dog which symbolizes chthonic divinity and the navel which connects Asclepius to his father Apollo.